5 ways to profit from sex (without having it)

There are many ways to invest in sex. Here are five possibilities

If there’s any question that sex sells, consider the fuss that continues to be made over “Fifty Shades of Grey,” the E.L. James book series-turned-film that’s been in the news again with the release of a new “Grey” novel. And don’t forget the “Grey” film sequel that’s due in 2017. But unless you plan to become the next E.L. James, you may find it challenging to profit from sex books. Still, there are other ways to make money from sex (and legal ways, we might add). Consider these five investment options…

(This article was first published in July 2014, and was updated on June 19, 2015.)

Playboy

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Vintage Playboy magazines

Yup, those magazines that your father—or your grandfather—stashed away in the basement may have some value. And may be worth collecting. No surprises here: Memorabilia experts say it’s all about sourcing the oldest issues in the best condition. Naturally, the Holy Grail remains the first issue, from December 1953, with Marilyn Monroe on the cover. (A few years back, one in excellent condition sold for $39,000 on eBay.) But Dan Wade of Paul Fraser Collectibles, a British firm that tracks the memorabilia market, says collectors shouldn’t hesitate to consider issues in good condition from 1954, which generally run in the three figures—a relative bargain compared with Marilyn.

Karex berhad

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Condom manufacturers

With markets opening up in developing countries, global sales of condoms are expected to grow significantly over the next six years, reaching $6.5 billion in 2020, according to Global Industry Analysts, a research firm. And that could naturally bode well for publicly traded condom manufacturers. Church & Dwight
CHD, -0.52%
the New Jersey company behind the Trojan brand, has already seen its stock price more than double over the past five years. (It’s worth noting, however, that Church & Dwight makes a wide range of other products, including kitty litter, antiperspirant and home pregnancy tests.) Another public company of note, albeit one outside the U.S. markets, is Malaysian-based Karex Bhd.
KAREX, +0.86%
It’s actually the world’s largest manufacturer of condoms and got attention for its Brazil-themed condoms at the last men’s recent World Cup.

Rick

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RCI Hospitality Holdings

The adult entertainment business has increasingly tried to position itself as a mainstream industry. So it’s perhaps no surprise that one of the country’s most prominent adult nightclub operators, Houston-based RCI Hospitality Holdings
RICK, -3.21%
with more than 40 locations spread across the U.S., has been public since 1995. (Until last August, RCI did business as Rick’s Cabaret International, taking its name from the “adult club” that was the foundation of the empire.) As part of its most recent quarterly earnings report, the company noted that its average revenue increased by 10.2% year over year.

Eli Lilly and Company

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Drug manufacturers

You can snicker all you want at those television ads for erectile dysfunction drugs, but the pills have put billions in the coffers of drug companies. In fact, Cialis accounted for $2.291 billion in sales for Eli Lilly
LLY, -0.04%
in 2014 alone — a 6% increase over 2013. Of course, the success (or failure) of pharmaceutical companies often depends on their ability to bring new drugs to the market. But having established “hits” adds considerably to their bottom lines.

Bonhams

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‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ (first edition)

By today’s standards, D.H. Lawrence’s novel about love and sex might seem relatively tame. But in its day, it was considered unprintable—literally—because of the use of four-letter words, among other offenses. That left Lawrence to print it privately in 1928 in an edition of just 1,000 copies, each signed by the author. As a result, it’s a fairly valuable commodity among book collectors, with prices going anywhere from $7,000 to $30,000, according to Dan Wade of Paul Fraser Collectibles, who says he wouldn’t be surprised if the first edition continued to remain in high demand for years to come. The book “has got so much history and intrigue behind it,” says Wade.

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